Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Fish go belly up for rubber worms

AFS tipped me off to the the trouble with rubber worms. It may surprise you that rubber worms are indigestible, despite their shiny colors and delectable smells. After finding a dead fish with three worms in its belly, Bill Gagnon, of Warren, Maine, started a campaign to get them out of the state's waters. He's pushing for biodegradable bait and asking manufacturers to start selling alternatives. Considering the inventiveness of fishermen, I imagine it won't take long to find the next Velveeta, especially if Cabela's started offering a few prizes for new bass bait. Gagnon would like the transition out of the rubber worm era to be peaceful and voluntary, but he's not ruling out legislation:

"If you see them in the water, for God’s sake get rid of them," said Gagnon. "It is not illegal to use them. Anyone who feels right has all the right in the world to use them. But I’m not going to guarantee that things aren’t going to change."

Here's to Bill for taking on the problem of the garbage patches of the Northeast, and to fish with rubber-free bellies.

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About Me

I grew up with fishing and the ocean, became a scientist, and now I'm a conservationist. I work for Washington Environmental Council, but the opinions here are my own. Email me at blogfishx (at) gmail (dot) com or about Swim Around Bainbridge at swimbi (at) gmail (dot) com.